KATHMANDU, JANUARY 8

With constitutional amendment talk becoming common among the leaders, ruling parties appear to be on different pages.

Although CPN-UML chair and prime minister Oli agreed to conclude the central committee meeting yesterday, he said, "The constitutional amendments will be made possible in 2027 only."

However, Bishwa Prakash Sharma, General Secretary of the ruling party Nepali Congress, disagreed with Oli's statement while speaking at a program organised in Jhapa on Wednesday.

"PM Oli remarked yesterday that constitutional amendments seem possible only in 2027. However, I disagree with him, as amendment is the ask of the people," he said.

Similarly, Addressing the launch program of the Kachankawal-Sagarmatha Awakening Campaign, NC leader and National Assembly member Krishna Prasad Sitaula said that the constitution should be amended immediately as it has stood as major obstacles to deliver fruitful results for the people.

Meanwhile, Sharma also said that when the NC and UML reached a seven-point understanding on July 1, it was agreed that the constitution would be studied and amended addressing the necessity.

When the NC and the CPN-UML formed a new ruling coalition on July 1 midnight, ditching the CPN-MC, constitutional amendment was the primary agenda.

He also admitted that amending the constitution requires a two-thirds majority and the inclusion of the CPN-MC-the third largest party in the Lower House and the largest party in the National Assembly-the Upper House of the federal parliament. "And without a two-thirds majority in both houses, constitutional amendment is impossible."

Narayan Prasad Dahal, who is the cousin brother of CPN-MC chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, won the chairpersonship of the Upper House after being supported by CPN-UML (the then coalition partner of CPN-MC), CPN (Unified Socialist), Janata Samajwadi Party and Bamdev Gautam.

Understanding these dynamics, Oli remarked that the constitution would be amended after the next general election.

Meanwhile, General Secretary Sharma said that it is necessary to amend the constitution with consensus among all political parties into confidence.

He emphasised that even if the constitution is to be amended in 2027, it could only be completed with the discussions between the NC and the UML.

"The UML chair does not have the right to claim that the constitution will be amended in 2027 without any discussion," he stated.

Earlier, leaders from the largest political party in the parliament, NC, stated that the constitution will be amended with the consensus of the major political parties, which include the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, CPN-MC, and Madhes-centric parties.

Previously, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, who is from NC, had stated that the constitution would be amended with the consensus of all parties.

Speaking on the occasion the second ward conference of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Ward No. 30, as part of the Nepali Congress's 100-day special campaign, few weeks prior, another General Secretary of NC, Gagan Kumar Thapa, said that the two chief political parties in the government- the NC and the CPN-UML-would set up a mechanism for constitutional amendment and start working on it in a few days.